As you start your internship hunt, you may discover that many cybersecurity professionals need prior experience, even for entry-level roles. Getting a cybersecurity internship is one approach to receiving practical security experience. When pursuing an internship in a cutthroat industry like cybersecurity, nothing is more important than experience.
Cybersecurity is a dynamic, constantly-evolving field; therefore, interns must be adaptable and quick learners with cutting-edge technology. Internships may also aid your ability to build a network in the cybersecurity industry. It’s not just about what you know in such a cutthroat industry; it’s also about who you know. The contacts interns make with professionals in their fields and other program interns. With highly thought-out program components, including a keynote speaker series, multiple networking opportunities, mentors, and peer placements, interns expand their professional networks.
This blog will help you to learn what cybersecurity interns perform and what kind of internship for graduate is available. Additionally, you’ll learn more about the advantages of looking for an internship and how to make the most of your internship experience.
What Does An Intern In Cybersecurity Do?
Depending on the company, an internship position in cybersecurity may differ. Cybersecurity internships can encompass essential administrative duties related to technology and data security. This includes reading and replying to emails, organising documents or other digital resources, looking into and evaluating the company’s IT policies, and examining new security tools and techniques. Projects with a stronger emphasis on cybersecurity are also open to interns.
This work includes doing system audits, maintaining the network, participating in or helping to lead security awareness training, and assisting in developing new digital systems or platforms. Both administrative work and cybersecurity initiatives may benefit students participating in internship programs. While collaborating with specialists in the industry on operational information systems, interns can hone their business communication abilities.
Types Of Internships Available
When considering internships, remember that not all are created equal and that some are more structured than others. Students seeking internships ought to conduct their homework and select the one that is the best fit for them. Moreover, internships for students in universities or other institutions might get assistance with this decision from career counsellors and internship placement programs.
Paid Internships:
Even while paid internships seem to be the most alluring to job seekers, they may be harder to find and secure than unpaid ones. The majority of the time, full-time job offers come after paid internships. Large organisations and private enterprises are more likely to offer paid internships. When hired for a paid internship, interns are frequently paid hourly. However, they may alternatively get a salary or a lump sum. Paid internships are far less lucrative than total- or part-time employment in the same field. Still, they are, nonetheless, extremely significant because they frequently result in full-time positions.
Unpaid Internships:
The only goal is to give participants on-the-job training and prepare them for the field. Paid internships are less common than unpaid internships, typically for a short duration. Summer internships are the most common type of unpaid internships. These internships are outstanding, and the knowledge and experience they provide are priceless for the future.
Internships For Credits:
Internship for credit There are many ways to compensate students for their internship, including financial rewards. Colleges and universities typically accept internships as a means for students to earn college credits. For internship credits, many schools will have different criteria and specifications.
Benefits Of An Internship In Cybersecurity
Building Skill-Set
Using your cybersecurity knowledge in a real-world business environment might be a great approach to build your skills more quickly. You might get the opportunity to work with various security software during an internship, including firewalls, antivirus programs, packet sniffers, vulnerability scanners, and network security monitoring tools. Depending on the role, you might also practice your programming skills by creating scripts and automating processes. Working as a team, whether in person or virtually, also offers the chance to hone crucial soft skills. Spend this time improving your communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
Networking And Mentorship
As an intern, you’ll probably have the opportunity to interact with cybersecurity professionals from various backgrounds and professions. Additionally, you might collaborate cross-functionally with different company teams. These connections can occasionally result in future job chances. You can potentially be placed with a manager or more experienced cybersecurity team member as an intern. This individual might act as your mentor during your internship and, in certain situations, for the rest of your career.
Tips For Cybersecurity Internships:
Here are some suggestions on discovering a cybersecurity internship that meets your needs and how to make the most of the chance if you consider getting one.
Fill out many internship applications. Giving oneself options is a good idea because some programs can be competitive.
Be eager to learn, but keep in mind that you have a job to do as well. Ask numerous inquiries.
Create connections with the people you meet. Inquire about having lunch together to discuss a project that someone at the company is working on if it interests you.
Create a work history. To include in your CV, keep note of the projects you work on and the security software you use. If at all possible, consider finding measurements to gauge your impact.
Start building job-ready cybersecurity skills with the ECA Internships. Enrol in the best internship programs to move one step closer to realising your dream of working in the field.
Since the dawn of digitalisation, cyberspace has played a crucial role and is getting even more prominent. Today, thousands of people are opting for a cybersecurity career and taking computer science degrees. With the level of competition that prevails today, conceptual knowledge is incomplete without practical implications and here comes the role of internships program.
Cyber crimes have risen meteorically in recent times, and organisations tackling and resolving these crime scenes have expanded their scope of work.Graduates in computers provide an exclusive opportunity to experience what it is to work as a digital guardian and hone the skills required to succeed in this field. Cyber security in Australia is a great career to step in, as there is a high demand for technically skilled professionals.
At an individual level, a cyber attack can lead to identity theft, extortion attempts, and loss of personal data, for example, photographs, documents, etc. It can be fraud, data breach, corporate theft, etc. From power plants to police stations, schools to factories, almost every critical structure is subject to digital security.
Let us have a look at the various career opportunities in Cyber Security:
Cybersecurity generalist: A person who has overall knowledge of all different categories in cyber security. He is commonly the jack of all trades, usually functioning in small-sized organisations.
Network Security Engineer: These cyber personnel work to manage the network security for their organisations. They function primarily in more prominent organisations, ranging from managing firewalls, routers, VPNs, etc.
Cloud Security Engineer: This involves providing cloud-based security services for organisations.
Application Security Specialist: Their function pertains to protecting applications from any external or internal threats like viruses using a combination of hardware and software skills.
Security Architect: These people work for designing, building and managing the fulfilment of network and computer security for a company.
Malware/ Forensics Analyst: They are experts in detecting and resolving viruses.
Cryptographers: They are responsible for encrypting sensitive information to ensure privacy and protection of important information. Encryption is nothing but converting pointers into codes to maintain the secrecy and security of the data.
Cyber Security Engineers: They design, develop and implement network solutions to defend against cyber attacks.
There are various industries that provide cyber security internships for graduates. Let us see what these industries are:
Banking Sector: This sector is constantly exposed to cyber-attacks and frauds as it works in a highly regulatory environment. Cyber security is crucial in protecting the banks and helping in developing the economy.
Cybersecurity Lawyers: Nowadays, cybersecurity has become so crucial that specific laws have been framed to set a legal barrier toward cyber crimes. People looking for careers in cyber protection can specialise in information security to handle liability resulting from breaches.
Utilities: Every utility of the country involves a clear and crisp cyber network to work in harmony with each other. Utilities can be water, electricity, etc.
Benefits Of Interning In Cyber Security
Connect what you’re learning in the classroom
Theoretical knowledge is not complete if you cannot apply the knowledge in the practical world. Internships act as the bridge between theory and practice.
Build a professional network
It applies to building a network with working professionals in cyber security. This network will help in the professional growth of a candidate.
Being In A Corporate Setting
Working as a cyber security intern will expose how the cyber world works. It will help you gain professional knowledge of the field.As a profitable and growing field, the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals is expected to grow with each passing day. Start your journey by enrolling in IT internship australia and acquiring professional knowledge for a flourishing career.
Internships are often thought as one of the first steps when collecting “real-world” experience, encounters, and environments. An internship can be a great portfolio enhancer, provide learning lessons for students, and allow for the “application” process of academic studies to be utilized. At ECA Internships, our goal is to assist students looking to transition from academic studies to corporate settings.
“Cybersecurity” internships are not the most common types of positions offered in the corporate industry due to its requirement of skill specialties, a risk of breaching company confidentiality, and the specific requirements needed when being a security intern.
In addition to the scarcity of internships offered overall, the competition is intense with individuals competing against talented, skilled, and advanced students all around the nation/world.
Types of Cybersecurity Internships
There are five main types of cybersecurity internships offered to students. These five types of internships can be broken down into multiple sub-internship positions. Keep this idea in mind when applying for a security intern position and building your resume.
Cybersecurity Analyst: As an analyst you will support a team of people to identify and assess the capabilities, activities, and logs of an adversary. You will be expected to collect, analyze, process, and disseminate cyber alerts or threats while assessing the network for any potential alerts. In addition to monitoring the network, an analyst intern is responsible for incorporating security policies, implementing security awareness, and establishing a plan to combat potential threats.
Security Assurance: Perform gap analysis of existing controls/regulations. As an intern you will compile and record controls for compliance while working with additional business units to catch and quickly mitigate potential security risks. An intern could also assist in publishing risk reports, conducting a risk assessment, creating/collecting required documentation, and configure reports/user account management.
Application Security: Assist and perform in activities such as penetration testing to review internal applications of an enterprise. Highlight any vulnerabilities to remediate efforts or develop new automations to harden system applications. Gain an understanding and participate in the secure software development lifecycle. Provide viable feedback and input for an organization to improve the overall security of a system. Follow and demonstrate an understanding of the penetration testing methodologies laid out through specific standards. Probe and scan for vulnerabilities in client and standard applications.
Security Management: Assist in the creation and review of policy documentation, develop additional security awareness training materials while supporting any additional problems with the training. Help the security management team in activities associated with security awareness and risk compliance. Create news articles, communication emails, and deployment of security products. Develop and procure business continuity and recovery procedures. Research and recommend overall security upgrades to an enterprise’s network.
Network Management: Participate in the development/deployment of computer networks with a overall “security” in mind. Integrate and administer a network regarding switches, routers, firewalls, and network security appliance management. Respond and remediate security alerts regarding the network. Identify, implement, review, create, and define requirements for information security. Notify and alert other teams when system alerts have appeared. Reduce and remediate the efforts in false positives.
Building your resume
The ideal cybersecurity candidate has a mixture of technical and soft skills.
On the technical side, most employers want proof that you are:
Grounded in IT fundamentals: e.g. networking, systems administration, database management, web applications, etc.
Versed in day-to-day operations: e.g. physical security, networks, server equipment, enterprise storage, users, applications, etc.
For soft skills, they’re looking for candidates who:
Know how to communicate with non-IT colleagues and work in a team
Understand business procedures & processes
Love to solve complex puzzles and unpick problems
How to Gain Practical Cybersecurity Experience
Self-Directed Learning
Teach yourself to code. (Experts recommend this again and again.)
Build your own computer and security lab using old PCs, your own wireless router with firewall, network switch, etc. Practice securing the computer and network, then try hacking it.
Create an open-source project.
Participate in cybersecurity contests and training games. e.g. Wargames, Capture the Flag competitions (CTFs), etc.
Look for vulnerabilities on open-source projects and sites with bug bounties. Document your work and findings.
Guided Training
Pair your cybersecurity certification exams with side projects that utilize the same skills.
Offer to help your professor or employer with security-related tasks.
Take free online cybersecurity Programs and Pre-assessment tests.
Invest in training courses over and above your degree.
Networking and Volunteering
Join LinkedIn groups, professional networks and security organizations.
Attend local security group meetings and events.
Collaborate with a team (at work or in school) on a cybersecurity project.
Volunteer at IT and cybersecurity conferences.
Volunteer to do IT security work for a non-profit or charity.
Further Steps
Read IT and security magazines/news sites and blogs.
Bookmark useful cybersecurity websites.
Keep tabs on cybersecurity message boards like Information Security Stack Exchange.
Run a background check on yourself to see if there are any existing red flags, then determine what you can do to address them. Security is a sensitive field and employers are looking for ethical candidates.
